Padmanabham - Madhavaswamy Aalayam

The origin of this ancient temple dates back to Dwaparayuga and publishes to the world the Lord's concern for his adorers. According to sthlapurana, it is here on this hill called Padmanabha Sri Krishna visited to extend Abhayahastam to Droupadi during the 12-year forest life. When Droupadi became restless, brooding over the problem of spending one full year in cognito - agnatavasa, Lord Krishna descended and met Droupadi on this hill and assured her full support in tiding over the impending critical period. Along with assurance, he kept here his potent weapons - sudarsan chakra and pachajanya in token of protection; if any untoward happened, and they would protect Pandavas in the imbroglio. This abhayam saved them from being detected, while serving the Virat king. There was a villake in the vicinity of the hill called Viratanagar and now called Madagula. Another village now going by the name of Bhishmali here was the very place, when Ihiryodhana came with Bhishma to shatter the Agnatavasa proviso. Later Mother Kunti installed the image of Krishna here and adored him along with her children for rowing safe her progeny across the ocean of woe.

It was only some 400  years back in this Kaliyuga, the very same image appeared and advised the Vijayanagara kings to install it and build a temple for it. They did with the guidance of their preceptor living then in a village called Ramathirtha. They built two temples one atop the hill, called Pad ma nabhaswamv and another at the foot of the hill named Madhavaswamy temple. 'They are built according to Vastu sastra and are lavishly beautified with elegant craftsmanship. On account of its splendid past, the temple is visited by a steady streams of visitors throughout the year. As the archamurti is still lifting the saranarthis, its importance is waxing without break. The yearly Kalyanotsav falling in Phalguna is celebrated on a grand scale.

It lies in the Bhimunipattanam mandalam of Vijayanagaram district of Andhra Pradesh commanding all transport facilities.

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